By the 8th grade, 52% of
adolescents have
consumed alcohol, 41%
have smoked cigarettes,
and 20% have used
marijuana.
Sources:
National Institute on Drug Abuse
Adolescent Substance Abuse Knowledge Base
Prescription for Danger
Alcohol kills 6.5
times more youth
than all other illicit
drugs combined.
Traffic crashes are the
greatest single cause
of death for all persons
age 6–33. About 45%
of these fatalities are
alcohol-related
crashes.
More than 60% of
teens said that
drugs were sold,
used, or kept at
their school.
America’s relationship with
Drugs
• Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit
drug.
• Other common drugs that are used by
American youth include, inhalants, illegalprescription drugs ( pain killers etc.), cocaine,
heroin, and crystal meth.
Cocaine
• A potent stimulant that is often snorted
through the nose and absorbed into the
bloodstream.
• Crack is a “rock form” of cocaine that is smoked.
Because cocaine is a stimulant, it can cause a rise in
blood pressure, in body temperature and increase
heart rate.
It is made from the coca plant which grows in
South America.
Long term uses causes, coughing, respiratory
problems, bleeding and can result in death.
Methamphetamine ( Meth)
• Methamphetamine is a central nervous system stimulant
• Meth, Crystal, Crystal Meth, Ice
• It can be injected, snorted, inhaled or swallowed, or
inserted into an orphace.
• Methamphetamine is man-made in labs. (Often in peoples
homes-)
• It is made from common cold medicine,
decongestant―ephedrine or pseudoephedrine
• One of the main reasons that these products are regulated
at the drug store.
• The chemicals used to create meth are highly flammable,
and of Meth is being created in a home, the home can often
explode and cause devastation for a neighborhood.
Prescription Drugs